Lead Found in NYC Backyard Eggs

As high as 100 parts per billion

Eggs laid by chickens in New York City public gardens have higher than normal levels of lead, preliminary research has found. Researchers from the New York State Health Department’s Bureau of Toxic Substance Assessment examined 58 eggs from chickens in community gardens in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, and discovered detectable levels of lead in about half of them, reaching as high as 100 parts per billion. They also tested store-bought eggs, none of which contained any detectable amounts of lead. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have any specific guidelines concerning safe levels of lead in eggs, and the researchers have yet to reach any conclusions. “We generally support chicken raising,” said the study’s leader, Henry M. Splietoff. “However, we also support reducing lead exposure.” Splietoff expects to publish the results in a more conclusive study later this year, once he has collected further data on the chickens' soil and feed.